Health Tip: Adjusting to a Hearing Aid

-- Wearing a new hearing aid can be difficult, as your ears and brain get used to louder and sharper sounds.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services offers these suggestions to help you adjust to your new hearing aid:

Start out wearing your hearing aid only at home. Make a careful effort to distinguish all of the sounds that you're now able to hear.

Gradually add more sources of sound -- such as the radio, television, or a conversation with family or friends -- before leaving home with your hearing aid.

Wear your hearing aid only as long as it feels comfortable, and gradually extend the amount of time that you wear it.

Try not to be frustrated with having to frequently adjust the volume, at first. The hearing aid may have to be adjusted by your doctor or audiologist after a bit of time to make sure you can hear comfortably.

Sounds should start to feel more natural and familiar after several weeks.

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